Text: Luke 4:16-30
Event(s): Jesus is rejected at Nazareth
Luke 4:16-30 Notice the story of the nobleman’s son we read yesterday in John 4 took place between Luke 4:15 and vs 16. This is one of the reasons I like following a chronological reading plan. It really helps to understand the order in which events took place.
Luke 4:16 This event should not be confused with the time Jesus is later rejected at Nazareth again. That second occurrence is mentioned in Matthew 13:53-58 and Mark 6:1-6.
Luke 4:24 “no prophet is accepted” This means honored. When we become too familiar with someone, we start to become less appreciative of them. We can also fail to see the greatness that is really in them because we relate to them solely based on our history with them. Here, the absence of honor kept the nation from receiving the blessing.
Today’s Takeaway: What strikes me more than anything in this passage is that Jesus was the answer they should have all been looking for. They were awaiting the Messiah, had plenty of prophecies that told them what to look for, and there was already plenty of proof that Jesus was He. However, they were offended as to how God chose to deliver the promise that they missed it, entirely. They even wanted to kill the promise (throwing Him off a cliff). I wonder if we sometimes miss what God is doing in our own lives or miss what He is saying because of the method of delivery He chooses to use.
I pray that this year, we break off any old barriers or boxes we have put in place. That we erase any expectations of how God “has to” act, or move. That we have eyes to see and ears to hear what He would say. That we learn how to judge the words we are given according to the spirit, not the person who gave them. I pray we are able to see and receive His provision and His gifts into our lives even if they come from places we wouldn’t have normally anticipated them to come from. May we all grow to a new level of humility and child-like faith and give God the freedom to work in whatever way He chooses.
Additional (optional) reading: 1 Kings 17:1-16 (This is the reference for the full story of the widow at Zarephath that Jesus mentions in Luke 4:25-27)
Linda G Riddle 